Ira Smolev

Entrepreneur and Innovator

About Ira Smolev

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ira Smolev currently resides in Florida. Before relocating, he pursued an extensive career in information technology and marketing. In the late 1960s, he spent several years with IBM Corporation that included a period writing a conversion utility program for two of the company’s computer models. The software was so successful that the firm implemented it for all customers converting to the newer machine. Subsequently, Ira Smolev joined Informatics, Inc., as the Vice President of Commercial Applications. In this role, he managed multiple accounts for noted clients at what was at the time the second-largest software company in the United States.

Three years later, Ira Smolev joined Automated Marketing Systems, Inc., as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. The publicly traded company assisted numerous high-profile clients with direct response database marketing. Ira Smolev advised and collaborated with representatives of the Ford Motor Company and thousands of its dealerships, as well as Eastern Air Lines and Hoffmann-La Roche.

Subsequently, Ira Smolev established his own enterprise. He spent more than a decade buying and reselling excess advertising space in print publications and on television. He also utilized the airtime and print space for placing his own advertising for items such as jewelry, house wares, and cosmetics. During the 1980s, he developed ongoing relationships with numerous well-known cable networks, including the Cablevision Sports Network, Lifetime, and the Discovery Channel.

Before entering the workforce, Ira Smolev attended Brooklyn College for two years. He then transferred to The City College of New York, where he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. As a student, he played basketball and won All-City honors. After graduating, he played another three seasons in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and competed with his team all three years at the national championships.